We Believe

Introduction

The Alkire Road Church of Christ is not a part of any denomination. Rather, we are a body of immersed believers who renounce human doctrines, creeds and affiliations. We believe that Christ is the church’s owner and head (Acts 20:28; Eph. 1:22-23). Its members have been added by the Lord (Acts 2:47). It emulates the essential elements of New Testament worship. It is called by the same names that were used to describe the people of the Lord in apostolic days. Its only unit of organization is congregational.

Basis for Beliefs

The sole source of our faith is the Bible, the original text of which is uniquely inspired by God, without error, and the final authority on all matters. The following list includes but does not exhaust the core doctrines of the Alkire Road Church of Christ, and has no authority apart from the Bible from which it is drawn.

Statement of Faith

You can also read our FAQ page on why we have a “Statement of Faith”

  • We believe unequivocally in the authority of the Holy Scriptures in all matters pertaining to faith, doctrine and practice (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
  • We believe that there is only one true God, and this God is one in essence and three in person, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:4-6).
  • We believe that God the Father created and continues to uphold the Universe by and through His Son (Gen. 1:1; Mal. 2:10; John 1:3; Acts 17:24; Heb. 1:2; Col. 1:16-17).
  • We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of mankind, and the sole mediator between God and man (Matt. 3:16-17; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 9:15; 1 John 4:14).
  • We believe that the Holy Spirit has revealed the will of God to humankind through the Bible, that this revelation is complete, and hence that revelation through signs, wonders, prophecies, and other miraculous gifts has ceased (John 5:36; 14:26; 20:28-29; Acts 1:15-26; 2:1-4; 6:5-8; 8:14-19; 19:5-6; Rom. 1:11; 1 Cor. 13:8-10; Gal. 1:8-9; 2 Tim. 1:6; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; 1 John 5:6-13; Jude 3; Rev. 22:18-19).
  • We believe in the complete deity and humanity of Christ Incarnate (Col. 2:8-9; Phil. 2:5-11), His virgin birth (Matt. 1:23), His sinless life (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:22; Heb. 4:15), His miracles (Acts 2:22), His vicarious and propitiatory sacrifice (Rom. 3:23-26; 2 Cor. 5:14-15), His bodily resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20, 42-45), His ascension to the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19; Acts 7:55; 1 Pet. 3:22), His present rule as Head of the Church (Eph. 5:23; Col. 1:18), and His personal return in power and glory on the final day (Matt. 16:27; Acts 1:10-11; 1 Thess. 4:16-17).
  • We believe Jesus’ resurrection to be the focal point of all history, and the principal reality in the lives of all believers (Acts 2:24; Rom. 6:4; 1 Cor. 15:3-4, 12-19, 56-57; 1 Pet. 1:3).
  • We believe that salvation is open to all people who avail themselves of God’s grace through obedient faith in Christ (Eph. 2:8; Jam. 2:14-26; 1 John 2:3-6). Obedient faith must include belief in God and His Word (Mark 16:16; Acts 16:31; Rom. 1:16, 10:17; 1 Cor. 1:21), repentance from sin (2 Cor. 7:10), confession of Jesus Christ as Lord (Rom. 10:9-10; Phil. 2:11; 1 John 4:15), baptism for remission of past sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38, 22:16; Gal. 3:27), and a life of growing consecration and dedication (Gal. 5:16-26; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Pet. 2:1-3; 2 Pet. 1:5-11, 3:18).
  • We believe that Christian baptism is the full immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19).
  • We believe the church is Christ’s body of baptized believers on earth (Acts 2:41-47).
  • We believe the Lord’s supper is the commemoration of Christ’s death until He comes. We believe the Lord’s supper should be observed every first day of the week and only on the first day of the week (being Sunday on our present calendar), and should be preceded by solemn self-examination (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:23-29).
  • We believe that baptism and the Lord’s supper should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:18-20; 1 Cor. 11:26).
  • We believe that psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs should be sung without the accompaniment of mechanical instruments (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16).
  • We believe that all elders, deacons, preachers, teachers and worship leaders should be qualified to fill their respective roles (Acts 14:23; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Tit. 1:5-9).
  • We believe that men and women have uniquely different but equally important roles to play in the church (1 Tim. 2:11-12; Tit. 2:1-6).
  • We believe that all people will be resurrected to receive either eternal reward in heaven or eternal punishment in hell (Matt. 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:12-15; 21:7-8).
  • We believe that all followers of Christ should endeavor to demonstrate moral purity and exemplary behavior in every facet of their lives, in accordance with the Scriptures (Gal. 5:16-26; Heb. 5:12-6:12; 1 Pet. 2:1-2; 2 Pet. 1:5-11; 1 John 1:5-2:5).
  • We believe in the unity of believers in Jesus Christ, with spiritual equality across national, ethnic, sex, age, and class differences (Acts 10:34-35; Rom. 2:11-12; Gal. 3:26-29; Eph. 6:5-9; 1 Tim. 4:12; 5:1,21; Jam. 2:1-9).
  • We believe that marriage is exclusively between one man and one woman (Matt. 19:4-6).
  • We believe that any sexual activity outside the marriage relationship is immoral (i.e., it is fornication), according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 6:9; 2 Cor. 12:21; Eph. 5:5; Col. 3:5; 1 Thess. 4:3; 1 Tim. 1:10; Jude 7).
  • We believe that a married person who engages in sexual activity with someone other than his or her own spouse commits sexual immorality (Heb. 13:4). We believe that when sexual immorality is the prime motivating reason for divorce (regardless of the cited legal grounds), only the party innocent of sexual immorality has a Scriptural right to remarry (Matt. 5:32; 19:9).
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